Patricia Croft, of Apley Road, holds up a picture of her daughter Zainab, who was kidnapped by her husband and took her back to Egypt without her consent. Picture: Andrew Roe

A heartbroken mother fears she may never see her daughter again after the three-year-old was taken to Egypt by her father.

Patricia Croft gave permission for her ex-partner to take her daughter Zainab to his native country to visit family for two months.

But seven months on Miss Croft has been unable to contact the pair and has no idea if she will ever see her girl again.

Her ex-partner has not broken any laws and there is no agreed international system currently in place to return children from Egypt to the UK.

Miss Croft, 24, of Apley Road, Hyde Park, used to spend time with Zainab on weekends after the courts gave full custody to her ex-partner.

But for the past two months she has had no contact at all.

She said: “It’s a nightmare, I would never wish this on any parent. I agreed for him to take her for two months and then when they didn’t come back I had a call to say the passports had been stolen, then he said Zainab had been ill it was just excuse after excuse.

“For the past two months I haven’t been able to contact them at all. “I feel like I have no where to turn the police and social services can’t help.

“Until they return to the country I’ve been told there’s not a lot that can be done.

“Some days I just feel like I want to end it all.” Miss Croft, is in the process of trying to pursue a civil case to get her daughter back.

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: “No allegations of a criminal nature, no reports relating to any wrongdoing and no concerns for the child’s welfare have been made to police since the child went on holiday with her father at the beginning of the year.”

Police have advised Miss Croft to pursue this civil matter through the courts and the Egyptian consulate.

Reunite International Child Abduction Centre said last year the charity dealt with 520 new cases involving 708 children.

Joanne Orton of Reunite said: “Cases like this have a massive effect on family members. Because of the different laws in Egypt she faces an uphill struggle.”

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